Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-14

and a valuable cargo aboard. You
can't learn to be sailors on this trip
but you can learn good deal. You'll
he well treated by MIR. Hardy and my
self-but there's one thing you must
understand now, right at the start.
Ioz must obey orders-d'ye hear. I'm
the Captain, and Mr.. Hardy is the mate
of this ship. Louis, put that in Span
ish for the benefit of those that don't
understand me-"
The nephew did as requested.
THAT'S all Go forward now. Mr..
Hardy, up anchor at once"
The four negroes did not stir.
The others had started, but seeing
that something was about to happen,
they paused.
go forward, 1 say!' repeated the
Captain, sternly.
One of the negro es took single step
in advance of his comrades.
1--WE hab been deceibed," he said,
speaking in thick voice and in broken
English. ''Dis bad ship; dis unlucky
ship; debbil in de ship. We four neb-
Der go in UNI! Put us ashore, sab,
quick"
''Mr Hardy, get a pair of handouts.
Shackle that man, and confine him be-
low three days on bread and water
There was low muttering among
the negroes as the mate started to
obey the order. The balance of the
crew edged back little, as though
they wanted to be out of the way of
the impending trouble. Dick Purvis
stood aside, somewhat nearer the Cap
tain, holding capstan-bar behind
him. To his surprise ard delight, he
found Jose Gardez by his sIIe with an
other such bar in his hand, nodding his
head to him, as much as to say: I'm
with YOU" The Mate stood close up
to the Captain when he spoke, and i'm
mediately started for the handouts.
The strain and suspense of such a
moment is exquisitely painful. All on
that deck felt it, though with different
thoughts and emotions. The mate
was certainly not gone two minutes;
but the time that passed before his
head emerged above the deck as he
ran up the cabin-stairs seemed an
age.
The attitude and appearance of one
man there ought to be mentioned. This
was Louis Hunter. He stood at the
right of the Captain, leaning up against
the quarter-rail, smoking a cigarette.
He looked on as carelessly as though
he had not the slightest interest in
what occurred.
The mate went directly to the negro.
"Hold out your hands," he said.
With motion like flash, the fell
low seized the handouts and tossed
them overheard. One sweep of his
powerful arm thrust the mate aside.
His clasp-knife was plucked from his
waistband, opened and brandished;
with a yell he sprang toward the Cap
tain. His eyes were bloodshot and
glaring; those who saw his face saw
something more pitiless and ferocious
than is in the faces of wild beasts.
Some of the men on the deck shud- |
dered; some closed their eyes. Some |
rejoiced like fiends. Two, ut least |
started forward, brandishing capstan, |
bars. Yet they could not have been in
time to avail against the agile, sudden |
movements of this mad human animal. |
There was loud report; the negro |
suddenly stopped. His eyes rolled hor-
ribly in his head; his knife dropped |
from his grasp. He threw his arms.
plunged forward, and fell in a heap on
the deck-dead, with bullet through |
his heart!
The Captain advanced single step.
A great navy revolver, still smoking,
was in his hand.
.You see what mean," he quietly |
said. "Now, to your eiuty, every man!
You all know who is Captain, by this
time.
There was not an instant's delay.